Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/architecturalwroOOkent 


From  House  of  Mr.  John  Hay, 
Washington,  D.  C 


From  House  of  Mr.  Henry  Adams, 
Washington,  D.  C 


ARCHITECT  UR AI 


W ROUGH  T-I  RON 

ANCIENT  AND  MODERN. 


A COMPILATION  OF  EXAMPLES  FROM  VARIOPIS  SOURCES,  OF  GERMAN, 
SWISS,  ITALIAN,  FRENCH,  ENGLISH  AND  AMERICAN  IRON- 
WORK FROM  MEDIAEVAL  TIMES  DOWN  TO 
THE  PRESENT  DAY. 


BY 

WILLIAM  WINTHROP  KENT, 

ARCHITECT 


NEW  YORK. 

WM.  T.  COMSTOCK, 

23  WARREN  STREET, 


Copyright, 

W.  W.  K E N T 


1888. 


DEDICATION. 


To  the  younger  members  of  the  profession , 
with  the  hope  that  it  will  prove  ojr  interest  and 
assistance  this  collection  is  sincerely  dedicated. 


Hotel 
Cl  vn 


CONTENTS 


Frontispiece. — Grille  from  the  house  of  Mr.  John  Hay,  Washington,  PAGE- 
D.  C.,  and  Gate  from  the  house  of  Mr.  Henry 
Adams,  Washington,  D.  C. 

o 1 

Introduction  ...........  i i 

CHAPTER  I. 

Grilles,  Gates,  Guards,  Etc.  .......  15 

CHAPTER  II. 

Hinges  ............  22 

CHAPTER  III. 

Door  Knockers  and  Rings  ........  28 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Italian  Wai.l  Rings  and  Staples.  Finish  for  Preserving 

Wrought-I  ron..  ..........  33 


PLATES 


I.  Grilles,  from 

A Washington  House,  Messrs.  Horn- 
blower  & Marshall,  Architects. 

House  of  Mr.  John  Hay,  Washing- 
ton, I).  C.;  Air.  H.  H.  Richardson, 
Architect. 

A Baltimore  House,  Messrs.  Mc- 
Kim,  Meade  & White,  Architects. 

House  of  Mr.  B.  H.  Warder,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.;  Mr.  H.  II.  Richard- 
son, Architect. 

II.  Fan-light  Grilles,  from 

Nuremberg  (XVIth  and  XVI  Ith 
Centuries). 

III.  Window  Grilles,  etc. 

IV.  Gates  in  church  of  St.  Aventin, 
France. 

V.  Fire-Screen. 

VI.  Examples  illustrating  a paper  “Late 
Wrought-Iron  Work,’’  by  William 
Penstone,  Architect. 

VII.  Guard  to  Upper  Panel  of  Front 
Door,  House  for  Airs.  Charles  H. 
Sherrill,  Washington,  D.  C.;  Mr.  H. 
L.  Page,  Architect 
VIII.  Grilles,  from 

House  of  Mr.  Henry  Adams, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

A Baltimore  House,  Messrs.  Mc- 
Kim,  Meade  & White,  Architects. 

House  of  Mr.  John  Hay,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.;  Mr.  H.  H.  Rich- 
ardson, Architect. 

IX.  Balcony,  House  for  Lieut.  Dunlap, 

Door  and  Window  Guards,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.;  Mr.  H.  L.  Page, 
Architect. 


X.  Grilles,  from  Washington  Houses. 
Messrs.  Hornblower  & Marshall, 
Charles  L.  Carson,  H.  Ii.  Richard- 
son, and  W.  M.  Pointdexter,  Archi- 
tects. 

XI.  Iron  Gate  and  Panel  from  the  Colt 
House,  Bristol,  R.  I.  (Built  in 
181 1.) 

XII.  Hinges,  from 

House  of  Mr.  John  Hay,  and 
House  of  Mr.Henry  Adams, Wash- 
ington, D.  C.;  Mr.  H.  H.  Richard- 
son, Architect. 

XIII.  German  Hinge,  South  Kensington 

Museum. 

Plinge  from  church  door  at  Piacenza, 
Italy. 

XIV.  FIinges,  from 

South  Kensington  Museum. 

Monastery  at  Einsiedeln,  Switzer- 
land. 

XV.  Hinges,  from 

Aluseum  at  Zurich  (XVIIth  Cen- 
tury). 

Rathhaus,  Lucerne. 

Rathhaus,  Lucerne. 

XVI.  Swiss  Hinges  of  the  XVIth  Century, 
in  possession  of  W.  W.  Kent. 

XVII.  Three  Hinges  from  Old  Granary  at 
Zurich. 

From  church  at  Einsiedeln,  Switzer 
land. 

XVIII.  Hinges,  from 

“ Aus  DerKunst  Schmiede  Eisen. 
Sammlung  des  arch.  Friedr.  Hal- 
selman.” 

Tail  of  a Hinge. 


Plates. 


Old  Cabinet,  United  College,  St. 
Andrews,  England. 

XIX.  Gothic  Hinges,  from 

“ An  Analysis  of  Gothic  Architect- 
ure,” by  R.  and  J.  A.  Brandon. 

XX.  Wall  Rings  and  Staples,  Siena, 

Italy. 

XXI.  Wall  Rings  and  Staples,  Siena, 

Italy. 

XXII.  Andirons  and  Fender,  House  of 
Mr.  John  Hay,  Washington, 

I).C.;  Mr.H.  H.  Richardson, Arch- 
itect. 

XXIII.  Andirons  in  Cluny  Museum,  Paris. 

XXIV.  Office  Sketches. 

Sketches  for  Harvard  Law-School 
Andirons. 

Andiron  in  Harvard  Law-School. 
Andiron  for  Mr.  Richardson’s 

Study. 

XXV.  Italian  Banner  Holder. 

XXVI.  Italian  Banner  Holder. 

XXVII.  Finials. 

Vane,  (German,  XHIth  Century) 
South  Kensington  Museum,  and 
others. 


7 

Finial  from  the  font  in  Cathedral, 
Breda,  Holland. 

XXVIII.  Finials,  from 

House  of  Mr.  John  Hay,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C. 

Detail  of  Grille. 

XVIIIth  Century  Iron-Work,  Chel- 
sea, England. 

Finial  to  a Grille. 

Miscellaneous  Finials. 

XXIX.  Finials,  from  Hospital  at  Metz, 
XIXth  Century, 

XXX.  Bracket  of  the  XVlth  Century 
(German),  in  ”>ossession  of  W.  W. 
Kent. 

XXXI.  Lamp  Bracket  (Modern). 

XXXII.  Handles,  from  Edinburgh,  Boppart, 
Lexington.  Shutter  Board  Handle, 
etc. 

XXXIII.  Escutcheons. 

German  Lockplate  (XVlth  Cen- 
tury) Two  from  Museum  at  Zurich. 
Miscellaneous. 

XXXIV.  Italian  Brazier  Tripods. 

XXXV.  Italian  Brazier  Tripod  and  details 
another. 


Abbreviations.  Where  subjects  have  been  taken  from  periodicals,  the  following  abbreviations 
have  been  used  to  indicate  the  source  : A,  from  “ English  Architectural  Association  Sketch-Book 

B,  “ Aus  der  Kunst-Schmiede-Eisen-Sammlung;”  C,  English  “Building  News;”  D,  “ British  Archi- 
tect E,  Photograph. 


PREFACE. 


It  is  only  within  a comparatively  few  years  that  much  attention 
has  been  given  by  American  architects  to  the  detail  of  wrought-iron 
design.  The  causes  of  this  are,  I think,  the  same  that  have  retarded 
the  progress  of  architecture  and  the  allied  arts  generally — want  of  direct 
tradition,  and  the  carelessness  natural  to  a new  and  money-making 
nation,  about  anything  except  that  which  has  a practical  bearing  on 
immediate  material  gain. 

That  a great  change  has  taken  place  in  this  respect,  and  is  exerting 
a stronger  influence  every  day  on  the  quality  of  architectural  design 
generally,  must  be  evident  to  anyone  who  is  sufficiently  interested  in 
such  matters  to  look  around  him.  What  has  caused  this  change  beyond 
the  sudden  acquisition  of  wealth,  and  consequent  improvement  in  the 
public  taste,  it  is  not  possible  to  discuss  here,  but  that  bad  design  should 
henceforth  be  more  a matter  of  stupidity  than  of  custom,  is  certainly  to 
be  desired  and  this  is,  I hope,  an  excuse  for  even  such  modest  attempts 
as  the  present  compilation. 

I wish  to  acknowledge  my  indebtedness  to  Mr.  H.  C.  Burdett, 
Architect,  for  the  assistance  which  several  of  his  excellent  sketches  have 
given,  and  likewise  to  Messrs.  G.  Krug  & Son,  of  Baltimore,  and 
Mr.  Jno.  Williams,  of  New  York,  for  the  loan  of  photographs  and 
specimens  of  their  iron  work. 

New  York,  Sept,  ist,  1888. 


INTRODUCTION. 


AN  in  his  inventions  does  not  progress  far  in  the 
direction  of  the  practical  and  useful  before  the 
spirit  of  beautifying  takes  possession  of  him, 
and  that  which  at  first  served  him  for  material 
ends  alone,  as  it  becomes  more  and  more  the 
object  of  his  thought  and  inspiration,  assumes, 
under  his  eye  and  hand,  new  beauty,  until  its  orna- 
mental character,  added  to  its  useful  property, 
makes  a more  nearly  perfect  whole,  and  the  craft  of  the  artisan  is  gradually 
lost  sight  of  in  our  admiration  of  the  skill  of  the  developing  artist.  To  use 
a simple  illustration,  primeval  man  made  his  pottery  to  serve  for  purely 
useful  purposes  ; then,  dissatisfied  with  its  rude  appearance  as  time  went 
on,  he  decorated  it  and  improved  its  forms  through  successive  ages, 
until,  in  the  Greek  vase,  the  potter’s  art  came  as  near  perfection  as  it  has 
ever  come. 

I do  not  mean  that  that  which  is  intended  for  purely  practical  ends  is 
not  beautiful,  for  we  know  that  necessity  and  the  attendant  conditions  of 
life  often  mold  the  works  of  man  into  shapes  which  all  the  efforts  of 
would-be-greater  descendants  fail  to  improve  upon.  We  see  this  in  the 
canoe  paddle  of  the  Fiji,  in  the  outlines  of  the  bungalow,  in  the  modeling 
of  the  Viking  ship,  in  the  curve  of  the  hunting  bow  and  the  head  of  the 
spear.  Indeed,  it  is  the  exception  to  find  that  the  inventions  born  of  neces- 
sity are  deformed  offspring,  and  where  man,  independent  of  tradition  and 
precedent,  has  solved  the  problems  of  construction  and  ornament,  there  is 
often  a more  satisfactory  simplicity  in  the  result  than  is  attained  by  later 
generations,  who  follow  too  closely  on  the  heels  of  their  ancestors.  Yet 
there  can  be  no  question  that  in  all  the  arts  and  sciences  man  improves 


12 


Introduction. 


chiefly  by  retrospective  study  and  research.  The  workman,  whether  artist 
or  artisan,  works  to  better  advantage  if  he  knows  what  has  been  done  be- 
fore— how  his  brother  workman  of  centuries  ago  studied  and  solved  prob- 
lems similar  to  the  ones  which  arise  from  the  conditions  of  life  to-day. 

The  malleability  and  ductility  of  iron  together  with  its  strength,  have, 
ever  since  man  learned  its  use,  made  it  one  of  the  most  serviceable  of 
metals.  For  weapons  of  war  and  the  chase,  for  agricultural  implements, 
and  in  all  its  constructive  uses,  iron,  and  especially  wrought-iron,  has  been 
of  inestimable  value  to  him,  which  accounts  for  the  fact  that  in  shaping  it 
for  its  various  offices  he  has  taxed  his  inventive  ability  to  its  utmost  limit. 
Still,  out  of  the  old  forms  spring  new  ones,  better  suited  to  modern  needs, 
and  to-day  we  find  it  more  than  ever  used  and  filling  a place  for  which,  all 
things  considered,  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a satisfactory  substitute.  But 
it  is  chiefly  in  connection  with  architecture  that  wrought-iron  has  been  used 
in  its  most  varied  and  interesting  forms,  both  as  regards  art  and  science. 
Hence,  while  some  small  space  must  necessarily  be  given  to  a brief  descrip- 
tion of  the  domestic  uses  to  which  it  has  been  put,  yet  in  the  main  this 
compilation  will  deal  with  it  in  its  architectural  field,  and  especially  in  its 
decorative  use  therein. 

As  one  of  the  baser  metals,  it  is  perhaps  not  strange  that  among  some 
of  the  ruder  nations  such  as  the  mediaeval  Germans,  Norwegians,  and  Swiss, 
iron  was  worked  in  shapes  and  patterns  more  closely  in  keeping  with  its 
peculiar  properties  than  has  been  the  case  among  later  and  more  cultivated 
races.  Moreover,  during  the  Middle  Ages  generally,  its  properties  and  use 
seem  to  have  been  better  understood  than  they  are  now.  In  those  days  its 
forms  were  generally  such  as  suggested  its  combined  baseness,  strength  and 
pliability,  and  in  each  of  the  best  examples  of  the  old  work  we  usually  find 
all  of  these  characteristics  respected.  That  is  to  say,  we  find  it  first  of  all 
in  its  proper  place,  serving  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  made,  and  not  over- 
wrought or  made  into  forms  and  patterns  which  suggest  and  belong  to  the 
more  precious  metals.  To-day  we  often  expend  on  it  all  the  skill  and  labor 
of  the  goldsmith,  shaping  it  into  forms  which  are  not  characteristically  ap- 
propriate, and  placing  it  where,  instead  of  interesting,  it  repels  us.  An 
iron  grille  is  a sensible  protection  against  thieves,  and  ornamentation 
does  not  destroy  its  usefulness ; but  when  we  make  iron  picture  frames, 


Introduction ^ 


with  realistic  leaves  and  flowers,  and  other  similar  designs,,  we  go  beyond 
its  province. 

It  is  a question  how  far  realism  should  be  followed  in  any  design,  but 
certainly  if  there  is  any  material  which  in  its  decorative  treatment  demands 
a close  following  of  conventionalized  ornament,  that  material  is  wrought- 
iron.  A proof  of  this  is  the  fact  that  in  what  are  commonly  acknowledged 
the  better  examples  of  the  work  of  respective  nations — that  is,  the  examples 
in  which  the  characteristics  of  the  people  and  their  times  are  most  forcibly 
expressed — we  find  little  divergence  from  the  path  of  conventional  orna- 
ment, and  wherever  we  do  find  a departure,  from  that  very  point  we  can 
trace  the  beginning  of  a national  decline  in  wrought-iron  design.  Let  us 
cite  one  instance.  The  mediaeval  Germans,  in  ornamenting  their  work  with 
conventional  suggestions  of  the  gnomes,  goblins  and  monsters  in  which 
their  legends  abound,  imbued  their  designs  with  the  unmistakable  spirit 
of  art,  but  when  they  tried  to  follow  nature  too  closely  in  the  forms 
of  leaf,  twig  and  flower,  the  failure  in  design  was  signal  and  the  descent  to 
mediocrity  easy.  It  may  be  that  this  departure  from  conventional  forms  is 
always  a sign  that  the  strength  of  national  imagination  is  growing  less,  and 
perhaps  in  time  it  must  come  in  all  designs.  However  that  may  be,  it  is 
seen  to  be  universally  the  case  that  when  the  designer  ceases  to  make  full 
use  of  his  imaginative  powers,  his  work  ceases  to  improve  and  finally 
deteriorates. 

It  seems  as  if  there  was  in  the  straightforwardness  of  the  mediaeval 
mind  a certain  sympathy  with  the  properties  of  iron  that  led  to  a wise  use 
of  it  ; and  this  might  be  said  of  other  materials  also.  In  our  own  clay 
the  village  blacksmith,  probably  because  he  handles  iron  constantly,  is 
better  able  to  forge  a beautiful  hinge  or  finial  than  half  the  skilled  workmen 
of  the  towns,  because  by  constantly  using  iron  he  comes  to  know  its 
properties,  and  so  can  put  his  spirit  into  it,  and  is  not  afraid  of  the  marks 
of  his  hammer.  This  is  why,  in  his  work,  we  find  all  the  strength  and 
crispness  of  an  artist’s  first  sketch. 

The  best  ancient  work  in  iron  seems  to  have  been  done  from  the 
tenth  to  the  seventeenth  century.  At  least  we  find  it  was  in  these  cen- 
turies that  most  of  the  best  now  remaining  examples  were  executed.  Italy, 
France,  Germany  and  Switzerland  were  then  notably  filled  with  works,  the 


H 


Introduction. 


quality  of  which  the  workman  of  to-day  cannot  hope  to  rival  until  he  is 
better  able  to  appreciate  its  excellence  by  thoroughly  understanding  the 
spirit  which  produced  it. 

That  study  of  the  older  forms  and  comparison  with  the  best  modern 
work  can  in  some  measure  assist  to  such  an  understanding,  the  writer 
believes,  and  hence  into  this  collection  has  been  put  what  seemed  best 
calculated  to  help  the  designer  and  the  artisan  to  a better  appreciation  of 
what  has  constituted  and  still  constitutes  good  design  in  wrought-iron. 


CHAPTER  I. 


GRILLES,  GATES,  GUARDS,  ETC. 

N earlier  times,  when  the  state  of  society  was  in  a more 
unsettled  condition  than  that  which  we  enjoy  to-day,  the 
iron  guard  in  various  forms  was  an  important  and,  in  fact, 
necessary  accessory  to  many  buildings.  The  portcullis, 
with  its  sharpened  spikes,  the  window  grille,  with  threaten- 
ing finials,  of  which  M.  Viollet-le-Duc  gives  several  good 
examples  in  his  Dictionnaire , and  other  less  defensive 
designs,  are  familiar  to  all.  To-day,  the  most  common 
form  is  the  window  grille,  which  we  use  chiefly  as  a pro- 
tection in  exposed  openings,  and  as  these  often  come  on  the 
street,  it  is  important  in  a house  of  any  pretentions  to 
pay  some  attention  to  their  design  when  so  located. 


w.  W.  K . 


V^INOOW  GuAi^.75  • TDi£PP£  Krancc  • 

No  i. 

Nos.  i and  2 are  rude  forms  of  window  guards  from  old  French  houses, 
and  being  made  from  one  piece,  the  decorative  effect  is  obtained  with  little 
expense,  the  iron  bar  being  simply  cut  and  branched.  By  repeating  the  bar 
of  No.  1 and  pla’cing  several  side  by  side  with  the  branchings  at  different 
distances,  very  simple  and  effective  guards  are  obtained,  as  is  shown  in 
No.  2. 


i6 


A rchitectural  Wrought- Iron. 


No.  3 is  a shutter  guard,  common  to  many  of  the  Swiss  houses  at 
Amsteg,  Altorf,  and  along  the  road  from  Lake  Lucerne  to  the  Furca  pass. 
These  are  interesting  chiefly  on  account  of  their  primitive  simplicity  and 
because  they  have  also  the  qualities  of  originality  and  strength  so  often 
found  in  rude  work  and  so  often  wanting  in  more  elaborate  designs. 


/VW  •!_ 


NO.  2. 


No.  4. 


a^issE- 


No.  3. 


Lotbedr-al  at  tf)exiers 
No.  6. 


Nos.  4,  5,  6 are  examples  of  very  common  motives  in  both  ancient  and 
modern  designs.  Shapes  like  these  are  often  nowadays  beaten  out  in  molds 
to  save  the  expense  of  skilled  labor.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  such  treat 


Grilles , Gates,  Guards,  Etc. 


17 


ment  robs  them  at  once  of  all  the  interest  which  attaches  to  hand  work  and 
reduces  them  to  the  commonplace  level  of  machine  stamping — a fact  which 
many  modern  manufacturers  are  constantly  overlooking.  Indeed,  if  iron  is 
to  be  worked  in  molds,  why  not  be  honest  and  make  use  of  cast-iron 


whereby  the  mold  fills  its  proper  place?  The  attempt  to  cheat  the  mind 
by  deceiving  the  eye  in  such  a way  is  as  short-sighted  as  it  is  generally 
unsuccessful. 


No.  7 is  a sixteenth  century  grille  of  German  workmanship  of  a type 
which  deserves  considerable  study.  It  is  simple  and  relies  for  effect  on  the 
arrangement  of  the  curves  and  angles  made  by  a round  rod  of  iron  without 
resort  to  any  foliation,  save  a simple  separation  of  the  ends. 


i8 


A rchitectural  Wrought-iron. 

No.  8,  a sixteenth  century  gate,  is  one  of  much  the  same  general 
character,  but  in  this  notice  the  introduction  of  the  graceful  leaf  and  bud 
form  in  the  center  of  the  whirls.  This  piece  is  dated  1576. 

No.  9 is  also  a German  grille,  from  an  excellent  book  on  iron-work, 
entitled  “ Aus  der  Kunst-Schmiede-Eisen-Sammlung'  des  Architekten  Friedr. 
Halselman,”  and  the  whole  design,  of  which  this  is  a part,  is  one  of  the  most 
refined  and  beautiful  examples  of  wrought-iron.  The  splendid  conventional 


treatment  of  the  leaf  form  is  particularly  interesting.  The  rosettes  on  the 
bars  are  perhaps  a little  stiff,  but  altogether  it  is  an  unusually  good  grille. 
Several  examples  have  been  taken  from  this  book,  which  is  one  of  the  best 
collections  ever  published. 

No.  10  is  half  of  a transom  grille,  or  possibly  the  ornamental  top  of  a 


Ccr-'ll*. 

No.  ii. 


gate  or  fence.  This  is  also  German.  The  ornament  in  the  lower  left-hand 
corner  has  a curious  resemblance  to  late  Renaissance  design. 

The  detail  of  No.  1 1 shows  how  valuable  it  is  to  study  in  perspective. 
By  making  the  hoops  flat  and  presenting  the  narrow -edge  first  to  the  eye, 
delicacy  and  strength  of  construction  are  obtained  and  a constantly  varying 
profile,  as  seen  from  different  points  of  view.  Whereas,  in  No.  4,  a certain 
unrelieved  flatness  is  the  prevailing  characteristic,  and  the  design  depends 


Grilles , Gates , Guards,  Etc. 


•9 


almost  wholly  for  its  beauty  on  the  outline,  seen  from  directly  in  front, 
while  the  construction  is  more  difficult  and  less  stable. 

In  continuing  this  subject,  it  will  be  noticeable  that  while  the  ancient 
work  is  interesting  in  many  cases,  on  account  of  a roughness  which  is  the 


result  of  hand  workmanship,  this  quality  is  never  imitated,  as  is  often  done 
to-day  by  false  hammer  marks,  etc.  Such  an  imitation  never  deceives,  and 
is  exceedingly  amateurish  and  weak,  like  any  similar  trickery. 

No.  12  is  a grille  which  combines  delicacy,  symmetry,  strength  and 
variety  of  movement  to  a remarkable  degree,  and  altogether  is  an  excellent 
design. 


"Yeniee  • Apr-!*-1  ij~ 
No.  15. 


Nos.  13  and  14  are  circular  and  semi-circular  grilles  for  a round  window 
and  a transom  light  respectively.  They  are,  I believe,  Venetian. 

Nos.  15  and  16  are  also  outlines  of  grilles  at  Venice — No.  16  being  be- 
fore a shrine  of  the  Madonna;  the  sketch  shows  only  one-quarter  of  the 
design. 

O 


20 


A rchitectural  Wr ought-iron. 


No.  i 7 is  a comparatively  modern  railing  from  a New  York  door-step. 
It  shows  into  what  a respectable  design  even  a plain  bar  of  iron  without 
taper  can  be  made.  . 

No.  18  is  a French  grille,  showing  an  interesting  treatment  of  whirls  at 


f\YoYYf 

9 Jig, 

l/emce  fyr. i-.l-j. 
No.  16. 


Chitnt)  oj-  -St-  -L?u  Jans . 
NO.  1 8. 


Qr-l  I le 

Conserx/oloirc*  Aes  ,/AfU 
^arii 

No.  19. 


?)Qrt'  oj-  grille. 

(ornmonvi/iHinh  *Are  . 


No.  20. 

the  top.  The  cross  is  also  well  introduced,  without  being  repeated  too 
olten. 

No.  19  is  a modern  French  grille  with  a particularly  good  ending  for 
the  stems  at  the  sides. 


Grilles,  Gates,  Gtiards,  Etc. 


2 1 


No.  20  is  a modern  American  grille  which,  having  the  elements  of  a 
good  design,  lacks  delicacy,  all  the  bars  being  monotonously  alike  and  too 
heavy.  Compare  this  with  No.  8 and  its  faults  are  easily  seen. 


from  ''jr7  i- 

houi<*  ~Bo£Toa. 

No.  21. 


Jranrs  Eatable 

inq  ^V.gj . 


NO.  22. 


Nos.  21  and  22  are  modern  American  grilles  of  considerable  merit.  No. 
21  is  from  the  studio  of  the  late  H.  H.  Richardson,  as  is  also  No.  23, 
which  I believe  is  an  unexecuted  design. 


No.  24.  No.  23. 


No.  24  is  a modern  American  design  which,  though  having  a plain  ge- 
ometrical frame  work,  is  nevertheless  made  very  graceful  and  interesting  by 
the  skillful  disposition  of  its  more  delicate  members. 


CHAPTER  II. 

HINGES. 


kNE  of  the  most  important  articles  of  metal-work  in  public  and 
private  use  during  the  Middle  Ages  was  the  hinge,  which  was  very 
generally  made  of  iron,  owing  to  the  low  cost  of  this  metal  and  the 
ease  of  working  it.  In  household  furniture,  the  chest,  cabinet, 
shutter  and  door  were  all  furnished  with  hinges  of  more  or  less 
elaborate  design,  and  among  public  edifices,  the  entrance  doors 
both  of  civil  and  ecclesiastical  buildings,  were  generally  orna- 
mented with  strap  hinges,  which  served  the  double  purpose  of 
decorating  and  binding  the  door  more  firmly  together,  and  this 
last  was  no  small  desideratum  in  an  age  when  the  changes  ot  government 
were  often  sudden  and  attended  with  violence. 


The  mediaeval  workman  gave  great  scope  to  his  imagination  in  supply- 
ing the  demand  which  was  caused  by  such  a general  use.  The  Germans 
were  pre-eminently  the  great  hinge-makers,  and,  as  has  been  before  re- 
marked, their  best  work  was  unmistakably  stamped  with  characteristic 
decoration,  and  in  the  flatter  forms  of  metal-work,  such  as  hinges,  escut- 


Hinges.  23 

cheons,  etc.,  they  found  ample  opportunity  for  the  conventional  expression 
of  the  weird  and  peculiar  ideas  with  which  not  only  their  folk  lore,  but  even 
their  minds  and  literature,  were  filled.  Why  they  brought  the  design  of 
the  hinge  to  such  a state  of  excellence,  I have  never  completely  understood, 
but  that  they  did  must  be  evident  to  anyone  who  has  studied  carefully  the 
relative  metal-work  of  the  different  nations  at  this  period. 


It  is  a very  singular  and  interesting  fact,  this  general  desire  of  the 
Northern  nations  to  embody  in  art  the  spirit  which  pervaded,  and  which 
still,  in  a measure,  does  pervade,  their  lives  and  traditions  ; but  the  Teutons 


No.  3— B. 

gave  greater  expression  to  this  desire  than  other  races,  and  in  consequence 
their  work  possesses  a strong  and  fascinating  individuality. 

No.  1 is  of  German  work,  probably  of  the  latter  part  of  the  fifteenth 
or  early  sixteenth  century,  and  illustrates  what  has  been  said  of  the  prev- 
alence of  grotesque  animal  forms.  The  work  is  crude  in  some  respects, 


21  Architectural  Wro u o-Ji t-Iron . 

but  the  chisel  cuts  most  effectively  atone  for  the  apparent  rudeness  of  out- 
line. 

No.  2 is  one  of  a set  of  twelve  hinges  of  different  design  on  the  doors 
of  the  old  granary  at  Zurich,  which  is  situated  close  by  the  edge  of  the 
outlet  of  Lake  Zurich.  They  are  full  of  spirit  and  thoroughly  like  the 


No.  4 -B. 


German  work  in  every  particular.  The  sudden  shooting  out  of  the  two 
pieces  at  the  end  is  in  very  effective  contrast  to  the  undulating  curves  of 
the  rest  of  the  strap.  Sketches  of  some  of  the  other  hinges  are  given 
among  the  plates. 

Nos.  3 and  4 are  German  hinges  on  which  the  chisel  ornaments  are 


No.  5— B. 


particularly  good.  The  scale  ornament,  made  with  a gouge,  is  very 
common  in  early  German  work. 

In  No.  4 the  bird’s  head  is  that  of  a parrot,  and  at  the  other  end  of  the 
strap  are  representations  of  feathers. 

No.  5 is  a very  delicate  hinge,  unusually  refined  for  German  work.  It 
is  extremely  simple,  but  very  graceful.  The  ends  look  like  Dutch  work- 
manship. 

No.  6 is  a Gothic  design,  probably  of  German  make.  It  has  excellent 


25 


Hinges. 

outlines,  and  the  introduction  of  the  leaves  into  the  trefoil  is  very  happily 
done. 

No.  7 is  an  English  door-hinge  of  about  1600.  The  edges  are  cham- 
fered like  much  of  the  German  work,  and  the  heads  at  the  end  are  also 
singularly  like  the  latter  school. 

No.  8 is  a Swiss  hinge  of  the  shutter  of  a house  at  Zurich.  The  end 
is  rather  refined.  It  is  probably  seventeenth  century  work. 


TVorw  Hoia-^c  aT -JLixrich.. 

No 


No.  9 is  also  Swiss,  and  its  curves  are  remarkably  good.  There  is  a 
large  monastery  at  Einsiedeln,  where  the  working  of  iron  by  the  brotherhood 
for  the  cathedral  has  had,  no  doubt,  some  influence  on  local  designs, 
although  there  are  very  few  examples  to  be  seen  in  the  town  outside  of  the 
church. 

No.  10  is  a more  clumsy  one  than  the  preceding,  but  like  it  in  general 
outline  A comparison  of  the  two  shows  wherein  the  excellence  of  No.  9 
consists. 


26  A rchitechiral  Wrought- Iron. 

No.  n is  from  a church  at  Piacenza,  Italy,  and  although  apparently  the 


No.  9. 


No.  10. 


JVlOM  Ohc/rch 
At  tiwENiA.- 


rude  work  of  a blacksmith,  it  has  considerable  vigor  and  the  motive  of  a 
very  good  design. 

No.  12  is  a modern  design  on  old  French  lines  and  its  prototype  may 
be  seen  on  many  a provincial  church  door. 


Hinges.  2 7 

No.  13  is  a sketch  of  hinges  for  a stable  door,  serving  also  to  swing 


Cj-dl?  15  jtilblp  ^y/RKhorOsoo.  ClKbfotb- 

No.  13. 

the  smaller  entrance  door  cut  in  it.  It  expresses  decidedly  an  ancient  feel- 
ing and  I have  made  use  of  it  as  a motive  in  designing  the  cover  to  this 

o 00 

collection. 


CHAPTER  III. 


DOOR  KNOCKERS  AND  RINGS. 


of  the 


of  knockers,  relegating  them  to  country  houses  and 
artists’  studios,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted,  since  the 
modern  bell-pull  does  not  give  that  chance  for  design 
which  was  afforded  by  the  ancient  knocker.  But  worse 
than  this,  the  electric  bell  has  left  only  the  escutcheon, 
and  a small  one  at  that,  on  which  the  imagination 
designer  can  work.  However,  even  though  the  knocker 


itself  can  rarely  now-a-days  be  directly  used,  there  are  so  many  of 
its  old  forms  which  exhibit  the  results  of  careful  thought  and  study,  that  at 


Door  Knockers  and  Rings.  2g 

number  of  examples  are  given  here  which  may  prove  of  assistance  in  other 
directions. 

I have  seen  very  few  examples  of  so-called  Colonial  knockers,  which 
were  of  wrought-iron,  and  so,  unfortunately,  am  unable  to  give  any  ex- 
amples, if  indeed  any  good  ones  exist.  Most  of  them  are  made  of  cast  iron, 
brass  or  bronze  metal,  and  some  of  the  common  forms  are  very  good  in 
design,  though  usually  extremely  simple. 

As  to  door  rings,  there  seems  to  be  no  good  reason  why  their  use  to- 
day should  not  be  to  some  extent  continued.  Certainly  it  is  much  safer  to 
close  a heavy  door  by  a central  ring  than  by  the  usual  knob,  since  with  the 


former  one  runs  no  risk  of  shutting  in  fingers.  On  church  doors  and  the 
doors  of  public  buildings  it  would  seem  especially  advisable  to  use  them 
more  generally  than  we  do,  both  for  the  reason  above  given  and  for  their 
decorative  qualities,  which,  when  combined  with  those  of  hinge  straps,  are 
considerable. 

No.  i is  a rather  rude  knocker  of  Spanish  workmanship,  on  which 
there  are  several  good  decorative  patterns  which,  from  their  character 
(being  easily  made  with  gouges  and  chisel)  are  well  adapted  to  the  material. 

No.  2,  a Pisan  knocker,  has  a very  graceful  ring  and  an  excellent  con- 
ventional animal  head.  The  entire  modelling  is  extremely  delicate  and 
beautiful. 


3° 


A rchitectural  VAr  ought- Iron. 

o 


No.  3,  which  also  serves  to  raise  the  latch,  is  a remarkably  good 
design,  and.  the  curves  are  full  of  the  strength  and  spirit  which  is  so  often 
seen  in  the  French  iron-work,  and  noticeably  lacking  in  a great  many  of  the 
English  designs. 

o o 

No.  4,  which  I believe  is  of  Scotch  workmanship,  is  bold  in  outline, 
and  although  perhaps  heavy  and  set  in  effect,  is  altogether  decorative. 


No.  3. 


No.  5 is  a curious  piece  of  Spanish  work,  suggestive  of  a forcible  en- 
trance. There  is  nothing  valuable  about  it  except  the  idea,  which  might  be 
successfully  used  in  a different  form. 

Nos.  6 and  7 are  also  Spanish,  and  show  good  conventional  treatment 
of  animal  forms.  They  have  a great  deal  of  rude  life  and  vigor,  and  yet  do 
not  follow  nature  too  closely. 

No.  8,  from  the  hospital  at  Beaune,  France,  has  a fine  head  well 
brought  out  of  the  rest  of  the  design.  There  is,  I believe,  much  more  good 


Door  Knockers  and  Rings. 


3i 


iron  work  in  this  building,  especially  on  a Gothic  knocker,  of  which  Rague- 
net  gives  a cut  in  the  “ Documents.” 


CUADALAXA^a 

CALLS'  DEL  &ARRIQ -NUCVO 
S PAIN 

No.  5 


SARACOIA 
PLAZUtLA-  A 0 UANA 
SPAIN 

NO.  7- 


No.  8. 


■72  Architectural  Wrought- Iron. 

No.  9 is  an  extremely  simple  design,  and  from  its  character,  I judge 
the  original  was  a piece  of  French  work,  executed  under  Gothic  influence. 

No.  io  has  nothing  but  its  simplicity  and  inexpensiveness  to  recom- 
mend it. 


No.  ii  shows  but  little  attempt  at  design,  and  to  judge  from  its  hang- 
ing, might  not  always  strike  in  the  right  place. 


knocker 

at 

Poitiers 


No.  IT. 


No.  12  has  a pretty  scutcheon,  and  with  a little  study  might  be  much 
improved. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


ITALIAN  WALL-RINGS  AND  STAPLES." 

HESE  rings  and  staples  are  from  the  walls  of  houses 
and  palaces  at  Siena.  They  were  used  in  many  of  the 
Northern  Italian  cities  durino-  the  middle  a^es,  but  those 
we  find  at  Siena  and  Florence  are  especially  line  examples 
of  decorated  iron-work.  They  were  used  for  various 
purposes.  In  times  of  civil  disturbance  chains  were 
stretched  across  the  streets  to  impede  the  advance  of 
mobs  or  soldiery.  In  Florence  and  Siena  during  the 
struggles  of  the  Guelphs  and  Ghibellines  it  is  said 
prisoners  were  chained  to  them,  exposed  to  the  taunts 
and  insults  of  the  people. 

As  civilization  advanced  they  were  used  on  new  buildings  more  as 
architectural  accessories  than  from  any  real  need,  and  to-day  they  are  cher- 
ished as  much  for  historical  association  as  for  any  other  reason. 

The  decorative  patterns  upon  them  are  very  plain,  but  well  suited  to 
the  character  of  the  material,  while  the  expression  and  life-like  vigor  of  the 
heads  is  more  striking  in  reality  than  can  be  easily  indicated  in  a sketch. 

On  some  buildings  they  are  placed  so  high  above  the  street  between 
the  second-story  windows  that  they  must  also  have  served  as  supports  for 
banners  and  Hags  during  public  festivals,  or  to  hold  the  ends  of  awning 
poles  in  hot  weather. 

As  architectural  accessories  and  as  strong  though  rude  specimens  of 
the  smith’s  art  they  are  interesting  reminders  of  the  spirit  of  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  periods  in  the  history  of  Northern  Italy. 

* See  Plates  No.  XX.  and  XXI. 


34 


A rchitectural  Wrough t-Iron. 

o 

FINISHES  FOR  PRESERVING  WROUGHT  IRON. 

There  are  many  ways  of  finishing  iron  so  as  to  preserve  it  from  the 
action  of  the  weather,  moisture,  etc.,  but  very  few  of  these  ways  can  be 
recommended. 

If  paint  be  used,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  advise  the  use  of  black  paint 
in  preference  to  any  color  for  general  work. 

A finish  which  is  used  by  some  of  the  American  manufacturers,  and 
said  to  be  good,  is  the  following  : 

A mixture  of  asphaltum  and  lamp  black  of  about  the  consistency  of 
ordinary  varnish  applied  with  a brush  and  polished  when  dry.  If  a lustre 
is  desired  a shellac  sizing  may  be  added.  Black  shellac  is  better  than  white 
for  this  purpose. 

This  has  to  be  applied  two  or  three  times  a year  on  out-of-door  work, 
according  to  the  dampness  of  the  climate. 

One  other  method  is  the  Bower-Barff  process,  which  is  good  but  ex- 
pensive and  not  a perfect  protection.  The  process  is  a secret,  but  consists 
apparently  in  depriving  the  iron  of  its  rusting  qualities  by  the  action  of  fire 
or  chemicals,  or  of  both.  It  has  the  virtue  of  retaining  the  original  surface 
of  the  iron  intact. 

Iron  may  also  be  galvanized  and  stained  with  acid  stains  and  then  shel- 
laced. This  is  said  to  be  very  durable. 


No.  1. 


Window  Grilles 
from 

Washington  and  Baltimore 
Houses. 


NO.  7.  — MESSRS.  H 0 R N BLOW  E R AND 
MARSHALL,  ARCHITECTS. 

NO.  2.  — IN  HOUSE  OF  MR.  JOHN  HA  Y, 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C.  MR.  H.  H. 
RICHARDSON  ARCHITECT 

no  3.  — Messrs.  Mckim,  mead  & 
WHITE,  Architects. 

no  4.— In  house  of  Mr.  B.  h.  warder, 
Washington,  D.  C.  Mr.  h.  h. 
RICHARDSON,  ARCHITECT 


No.  3. 


No.  4 


PLATE  I 


1 NVREMBVRa-XVI^-CENTVRY- 


PLATE  II. 


* 


PLATE  III. 


PLATE  IV 


•IN  - CHURCH  -OFtST-  AVENTIN' 
•FRANCE,- 


PLATE  V. 


EXAMPLES  I LLV5- 
TRATINGA-PAPER- 

WM'PENSTONE- 
. 


1 


LATE  VYROVGMT- 
IRON  WORK- BY- 

ARCHITECT 


PLATE  VI. 


Guard  to  uft/oer  jbarel  -Tkojvr  Doosz 
Gfouse  J-or  Gks  Casts  ■Ji-Ss/rrr/^^  - 
ClGs/i/n^/orc  - - X)  -C  • 


PLATE  VII. 


BASKET-  GRil.ee 
H0Y5  E-  OP  R - H E N RY  A DAMS 
WASHINGTON  b'C' 


A 


A 


PLATE  VI I i. 


m M /f? 


r .//m  .J^alco/tti 


//W7rr 


'mm 


MMS 


Ue_  jJ  o o r 
Gc'W-c'-i'cL  ~ 


PLATE  iX 


PLATE  X. 


■iLxecuted  bv  Alessrs  Kruq  «*Oon  -T^alti 


IKON  WORK- ERO/A 
TME  COLT  MOUSE 
BRISTOL- K I ■ — 


fO'Kliwe)  oj\  ^ |s,XT^- 


T)efc  i ) 


tfALF-OF-FKONT-GAT£- 


-TUHM7& 


PLATE  XI. 


£ 

ns 

"O 

C 


o 

o 

o 

bfl 


o 

o 

Q 


ns 

X 


o 

o 

O 


O 

o 

c 

o 

“So 


o 

Ll 


PLATE  X!l 


MR.  H.  H.  RICHARDSON, 
Architect. 


< 


% 


; 


?• 


- 


a. 


- 


V,‘ 


- 


PLATE  XIV. 


to 


OJ 


4 


PLATE  XV. 


PLATE  XVI. 


PLATE  XVII. 


PLATE  XVIII. 


PLATE  XIX. 


PLATE  XX 


PLATE  XXI. 


From  House  of  Mr.  John  Hay, 
Washington,  D.  C. 


MR.  H.  H.  RICHARDSON.  ARCHITECT 


Plate  XXII. 


PLATE  XXIII. 


PLATE  XXIV. 


PLATE  XXV. 


orence 


BANNER- HOLDER* 


PLATE  XXVI. 


PLATE  XXVII. 


TR  9M 

OK 

A'IR.Johm  -Hay- 


Stt I NGTON 

T>  -C' 


IfttB  Century  lron-wor)^.  Cbelsea  Kr>^. 


j)e1ail  oj'Gf-' 


v>il(e 


^.CBonK-IV. 


PitijolL  To  Co  '’ A I 

ALS* 


PLATE  XXVIII. 


• H05FITA L- ATMETZ-XlXft  CENTURY- 


PLATE  XXIX. 


, . . 


- t 


* 

' 


. 


1 ' • - 


PLATE  XXX. 


JOHN  WILLIAMS  N'Y-AAKER 


PLATE  XXXI. 


PLATE  XXXI i. 


PLATE  XXXIII. 


PLATE  XXXIV. 


•Italian  Braziek  Tripods  • 


John  Williams, 


115  to  12 1 East  13TH  St.,  New  York. 


Established  187 


MAKER  OF  WROUGHT  IRON,  BRONZE  & BRASS 


GAS  FIXTURES,  GRILLES,  RAILINGS,  LAMPS,  AM  LANTERNS, 


H inges,  Locks  & Door  Trimmings, 


Andirons,  Fenders, 


Fire-Place  Frames 


TO  SPECIAL  GREER  ORLY. 


RYferences  : 

Tiffany  & Co.,  N.  Y.  ; Cottier  & Co.,  N.  Y. ; L.  Marcotte  & Co.,  N.  Y.  ; McKim,  Mead  & White,  N.  Y. 
Babb,  Cook  & Willard,  N.  Y. ; Bruce  Price,  N.  Y.  ; Bailey,  Banks  & Biddle,  Phil.  ; Frank  Hill  Smith, 
Boston  ; A.  H.  Davenport,  Boston  ; The  Henry  Dibblee  Co.,  Chicago. 


//.  S.  SKIbbMAN, 

Manufacturer  of 


237  Broadway,  New  York. 


Grilles , 

Gates , 

Railings, 


Gas  Fixtures , 


Door  Trimmings , Etc. 


jfetimate^  • Pli praised  • ora  - Jj®eeial  • 


BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 


NEW  YORK. 


IQftKEP  0I> 


ARTISTIC 


RON  WORK. 


if 


o 


n 


l 


i 


\ 


' t 


filM 

i'. ..Iok  / Myitt 71  ^ "-4^  i ^ 


t * * 

WW^iPpSf^ 


+ * < ♦ + 


« W/li%\\ m 


«®ms {Mil 


p||l|pC|^ 

-fL'i  /■',-  j trail ::l!*li*. 


mimm  .rMv^ 

imm^m 


